Devices and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a semiconductor light emitting device.
A semiconductor light emitting device such as a light emitting diode (LED) is a device which includes light-emitting material in which energy generated through electron-hole recombination in semiconductor junction parts is converted into light to be emitted therefrom. LEDs are commonly employed as light sources in lighting devices, large liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and backlight units, and the development of LEDs has been accelerated.
However, semiconductor LEDs have shortcomings in that the semiconductor LEDs are similar to point sources (that is, light emission surfaces thereof are very narrow). Thus, when the semiconductor LEDs are used as light sources of lighting devices or backlight units for displays, a separate optical structure may be needed to evenly spread light throughout a wide area. For example, a direct type backlight unit for a display may use a lens that expands light distribution and a diffusion sheet. Such an additional optical structure increases manufacturing costs and/or defect rates due to the requirement of assembling various structures. In particular, a thickness of a display panel may be disadvantageously increased.